The Challenges Facing The Eastern African Community In Conflict Intervention: A Study Of Eastern African Standby Force (Easf) As Regional Security Mechanism

ABSTRACT

The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) is a regional security body for the Great Lakes Region. The force is mandated with the tasks of conflict intervention in the region, through preventive diplomacy and peace support operations in the conflict zones. The study assessed the challenges hindering the Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) from executing the intervention missions in the region. As regional force it is also supposed to augment the efforts of other agencies such as the UN and the international community. These agencies have not been able to carry out successful peace support operations in the Great Lakes Region due to a diversity of factors. There are still violent conflicts in the region despite the presence of ongoing peace support operations. Durable peace has become too elusive for the region. Recent studies indicate that the regional security mechanisms are best suited to deal with such local security challenges affecting the region. Despite the platform, they have not been able to achieve their mandate. Guided by the underpinnings of theory of Just War, the research examined the challenges affecting the EASF in managing the violent conflicts emanating from the sub-region. A descriptive survey method was adopted. Random sampling and purposive sampling were used to select population for sampling from Kenya Rapid Deployment Capability (KRDC) based at Embakasi and Eastern Africa Standby Force coordinating Mechanism (EASFCOM) headquartered at Karen respectively. The two study sites are located within Nairobi County. Questionnaires and interviews were administered to the sampled group of KRDC and EASFCOM respectively. The study yielded both qualitative and quantitative data. As such, the study employed descriptive statistical tools to analyse quantitative data obtained. Qualitative data were analyzed through qualitative techniques. Qualitative data were drawn from open-ended questions in the questionnaire and interview guide to present the findings. This involved a critical assessment of each response and examining it using thematic interpretation in accordance with the objectives of the study. The findings were then presented in narrative excerpts within the report. Data gathered in the study were summarized to establish fundamental results. Conclusions and recommendations were drawn from the processed data.